Daily time with God

Week is gone.

2010-05-14T21:32:00.000-07:00

It's been a week since I've last posted and although I've been thinking about it, I just haven't gotten around to posting. Looking back on the week, I can see so many occasions where God is teaching me patience and with so many in church going through major trials, that I need to be grateful for my health and to be lifting them up in prayer and asking God to show me how I can be encouraging them. We never know what the day may bring, but when we pray without ceasing we can at least always know how to respond when things aren't going "our" way.

Just tonight I'm babysitting Coleson and Tate Mensonides (adorable kids) and last time I watched them they both went down without any fuss, yet tonight both cried and Tate was up for over an hour. I would rock him but the moment I put in the crib he would cry. It made me think that that is how we should be with our heavenly Father. We shouldn't want to leave his arms, that is where we belong, yet all too often I know I push Him away thinking I know best, and his arms are just stopping me from doing the fun things, or things that are "good" for me. While in reality he is saving me from my sin and stupidity. We should be singing praises yet at least I know I am usually irritated that it didn't work out my way or according to my timeline. Well I'm off for now.

Romans 7:7-25

2010-05-07T11:43:00.000-07:00

Link for the verses- http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Romans+7%3A7-25

I know that some of these verses we all know very well, and when I woke up this morning I thought of verses 15 and 16 but couldn't remember at that time what passage it was. I found it and when I read the surrounding verses, it was really encouraging. I know that everyone struggles daily with sin but really being conscious of that constant war going on inside ourselves is humbling. I know personally that when I think that I am doing well spiritually is when I nose dive hard back into it, and begin the cycle again. Asking for forgiveness and repenting of that sin and trying to learn from it and grow from that mistake. Yet often enough I don't. I let my pride get in the way time and time again and think that I am doing well enough just how I am, yet when I am being stagnant in my walk I'm actually slowly falling back and by doing that I am letting myself be beat down and more vulnerable to temptation.

I think a good thing to remember is that the war is never over until the day we die. Just being more aware and conscious of it I know is helpful to me. Remembering that it isn't easy but we should and just absolutely have to look to Christ to win that battle in the end. Conquering Now and Still to Conquer just popped in my head :)

Not to the strong is the battle,
Not to the swift is the race,
Yet to the true and the faithful
Vict’ry is promised through grace.

vs. 24-25 "24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!..."

Providence and Strength...

2010-05-02T22:06:00.000-07:00

Today in church since Pastor Fisher was coming home from California we had Jason Anspach preach this morning and Pastor Pine this evening. I took notes during both sermons, something I think I'll try to continue to do since it helps me pay better attention and get more out of the message too!

So Jason spoke on Ruth 2 and it was a good sermon highlighting how Ruth and Boaz portrayed different fruits of the spirit and how God used those different things for His will. He made the point that when things aren't going well or a rough time in life is happening we say that it is happening according to God's providence, which it is and that is good to remember but how often do we think about God's providence in our lives when things are going well. I know I tend to forget to be thankful for the peaceful times and to learn from them too as well as the tough times. The fruits of the spirit are something that I haven't thought about in awhile. They are those things that we are supposed to be portraying all the time and I know its not easy. Jason highlighted that by showing how Ruth stepped out in faith that God would provide and then Boaz complemented that by showing loving kindness to a young woman that was a stranger in his fields. So using the fruits of the spirit and living as we should be will allow us to be used more effectively for His will. Here is the link for the full sermon!
http://tacomabpc.org/2010/05/ruth-2-enter-boaz/

Then this evening Pastor Pine spoke on Psalm 119:25-32. He is preaching on Psalms back home in New York so we got a taste of his series. This section of the Psalm addresses how to God is our strength even when we are in the lowest of lows and when we are that position that God's answer isn't going to be found by pushing a happy button. We need to meditate on His word and faithfulness to us and also learn how to respond and act the next time a struggle is happening or when a friend comes to us with something on their heart. So it was a good Sunday, profitable sermons and good fellowship.

First Post

2010-04-29T22:36:00.000-07:00

Hello all!
This is my very first post and I really never thought I would ever have a blog yet here I am, blogging away. :) I do want to say that this isn't just your normal blog. I am hoping to make it more of a devotional blog. I want it to become a place where I talk about what I am learning through my personal devotions, how God is helping me grow and where I continue to struggle. I hope to encourage others to read their Bibles and pray daily. I know I have become very lax in doing my personal devotions so I'm hopeful that this will keep me more on my toes. Until next time....

Read your Bible, pray every day and you'll grow, grow, grow! :)